UberX driver vetting is dubious, says investigators

The ride-sharing service UberX has fallen under the scrutiny of NBC5 Chicago, which carried out an investigation into the company's driver-hiring vetting process. The conclusion of the investigation showed seemingly lax background checks and drivers of questionable qualification.

According to Uber's website, all of its drivers pass a "rigorous" background check that includes county, multi-state, and federal vetting going back seven years -- the company's UberX service is included in this background check process.

NBC Chicago decided to put this to the test, hiring Beverly Locke of California -- who holds "a three-page rap sheet" -- to apply to UberX. Despite her history of drug charges, assault, being on probation, and other legal issues, she was accepted as a driver for the company four weeks after applying.

The investigation turned up other drivers with questionable backgrounds, one said to have a reckless driving charge that was a decade old, and another with "five prior arrests" and a couple burglaries in his history. While the dates during which these took place could potentially exclude them from showing up in a background check, one driver was found to have a DUI charge from 2012.